Signal device.



S. T. WARNER.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.23. 1913.

Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l WITNESSES l TTURNE! S. T. WARNER.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION man Aua.23. ma.

Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNEY WITNESSES SAMUEL T. WARNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SIGNAL DEVICE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Application filed August 23, 1913. Serial No. 786,215.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattamcounty of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to signal devices, and embodiments of my invention are well adapted for use on automobiles or other vehicles to indicate their proposed movements to following vehicles, and I herein show and describe my invention as thus adapted, although it will be understood that my invention is not limited to such embodiments but is susceptible of various other adaptations and uses.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of this sort which will be simple and compact in construction, easy and convenient to operate, and which will be reliable and will give clear and positive indications.

Another object is to provide a device the indications of which will be equally legible in day or night.

Another object is to provide means, operative at the will of the operator, for audibly attracting attention to the signal indications.

Another ob ject is to provide, in the case of automobiles or the like, means operated both by the brake pedal and independently thereof, for giving an indication to denote that the vehicle is about to come to a stop.

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description.

In accordance with my invention, I employ a rotary armature arranged to operate the indicator, which is preferably in t-he form of a rotative drum with the signals on its periphery which are successlif'elyv exposed through a slot in the casing, and one or more electro-magnets arranged about 'the axis of the armature and adapted to be independently energized and attract the armature and cause it to rotate, the drum being rotated far enough by each magnet to expose the particular signal controlled by the respective magnet. Preferably the drum carries the armature and rotates coaxially therewith. Preferably also an audible alarm, such as an electric bell, is connected in the circuit with the electro-magnets and is energized whenever the circuit is closed through any one of the electro-magnets. In the embodiment as an automobile signal, a source of light, such as an electric light, is inclosed in the casing, and the casing is provided with a slot in its top through which the light shines and illuminates the license number plate disposed above the casing, the drum being also preferably transparent and inclosing the light;

The means for independently energizing the electro-magnets comprise a source of electric current, and specifically, a manually operated circuit controller in the circuit adapted in one position to connect the bell and one magnet into the circuit and in another position to connect the bell and another magnet into the circuit, one magnet which controls the stop indication being controlled in the preferred embodiment both by the brake pedal and independently by a hand switch.

My invention alsocomprehends various other features of construction and details and arrangements of parts, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

I shall now describe the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out v my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the device as viewed from the rear of the automobile. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 as viewed from the right. Fig. 3 is a diagram of the electric circuit. Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of the hand switch or circuit controller. Fig. 5- is a detail in longitudinal section of the pedal op- Y erated switch mechanism in the electric circuit. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking toward the right. Fig. 7 is a detail of the indicating drum in plan as viewedin its normal position and on a reduced scale.

The illustrated embodiment of my invention is preferably secured on the rear cnd of an automobile vwhere `the usual tail light is commonly disposed, and comprises a cylindrical casing 1 of brass or other suitable material mounted on a standard 2 suitably secured to the frame or body of the automobile, and in the casing l is contained the operative mechanism and on the top of the casing 1 the usual license number plate 3 is suitably secured, as by screws which pass through an arcuate flanged portion at the bottom of the number plate frame, as shown. The right end of the casing 1 is closed by a removable cap 4, and the left end is closed byl an iron magnet-carrying plate 5, the center of which is bored and an iron armature-bearing shaft 6 extends freely through the bore and bears with its outer end in a plate 7 of brass or other diamagnetic material o n the outer face of the magnet-carrying plate 5, and extends axially into the casing 1 for substantially a third of the length of the casing.

On the inner end of the shaft 6 is secured a spider 7 of an indicating drum 8, which drum fits into the casing and is mounted for rotation therein and extends between the inner end of the shaft 6 and the cap 4, where a spider 9 on that end of the drum bears upon a hollow lamp-carrying stud 10 extending inwardly from the center of the cap 4. Thus the drum 8 bears at one end upon the stud 10 and at the other end in the plate 7.

The illustrated indicating drum 8 has its periphery equally divided into four signal portions, one the normal running signal portion 11 which is composed ofred glass and forms the usual red tail light, and the other three composed of suitable transparent material, suchas frosted glass, on which the desired signal words -or indications are painted or otherwise formed. As shown these three signal portions consist of a stop signal portion 12 on which the word Stop appears, a right turn. signal portion 13 on which appears the word Turn with an arrow pointing to the right, and a left turn signal portion on which appears the word Turn and an arrow pointing to the left. These words are preferably painted with black letters and are therefore clearly legible in day as well as at night. The four glass portions are secured and spaced between longitudinal ribs on the drum extending between end rings within which the glass portions it, as shown.

To illuminate the signal at night, an electric lamp 15 is provided on the inner end of the stud 10, the leads for which enter through the hollow stud 10 and are provided with any suitable or usual source of current. The signals are exposed through a slot in the rear side of the casing 1, which is closed for the exclusion of dirt by any suitable transparent material, as glass 16. Similarly a slot is provided in the top of the casing which is closed by glass 17 and through which the light shines at night to illuminate the number plate 3.

To rotate the drum 8 and bring the de-V sired signal opposite the slot in the casing 1, magnetic means are provided which will now be described. A flat arcuate armature 18 is suspended from the shaft 6 just inside the inner end of the drum 8, being carried on the end of an arm 19 which is provided with a bore fitting on the shaft 6 and is fixed on the shaft by a set screw, as shown. The armature 18 tends to rotate by gravity to the lowermost position shown in the drawings, and the parts are so arranged that in this biased position the red tail light portion of the drum is exposed. To rotate the armature 18, three electro-magnets are arranged on the inner face of the plate 5 in an are about the shaft 6, two being arranged on opposite sides in a horizontal plane and one above, as shown. As each of these magnets is energized, it attracts the armature and causes it to rotate until the armature is at its nearest approach to the pole of the magnet, where the armature is held and the `signal controlled by the respective magnet is exposed as long as the magnet remains energized, as will be apparent. To increase the magnetic attraction of the magnets,they may be provided with arcuate polar extensions, as shown.

As the parts are arranged in the illustrated embodiment, the magnet 2() at the left of the shaft 6, as viewed in Fig. 2, is the stop magnet since it causes the armature to rotate to expose the stop signal portion of the drum, and similarly the magnet 21 at the right is the left turn magnet and the magnet 22 at the top is the right turn magnet.

Preferably there is also provided an audible alarm to attract attention to the signal device when a signal is displayed, and an electric bell 23 is shown for this purpose secured on an arm 24 on the outer side of the plate A5, the magnets 26 being secured on the outer face of the plate 5. This bell is connected into the electric circuit so as to sound when any of the signal-operating magnets is energized, as will now be described.

The electric circuit controlling the magnets is shown in Fig. 3. The circuit is energized from the battery 27, which may bc the usual storage battery on the automobile or other battery. The circuit to the stop magnet 20 is primarily controlled by the usual brake pedal, so that the stop indication is automatically given as the brakes are applied. The details of the mechanical structure of the pedal operated switch are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Underneath the floor 28 of the vehicle is secured a tubular casing 29 about which are arranged in a vertical plane three contacts 30, 31 and 32, the former of which is connected to the battery, the second to the stop magnet 20, and the last to the bell magnets 26. A piston contact member 33 is reciprocative in the casing 29 and is connected at its front end to the brake pedal 31 by a coiled spring 3.3, attached to the stem of the Contact member, and to the back end wall of the casing 59 by a strenger coiled spring 36. The spring 36, therefore,`

normally holds the pistoncontact member to the rear of' andout: off contact with the contacts 30, 31 and 32, but as the pedal: 34-V is depressed' to apply the brakes, it. increases the tension on the spring- 35 and pulls the contact number 32 to the' right andf makes the ontact between the battery'con-tact 30v and the stop magnet. and bell contacts 31 and 32, and the bellis soundedy and at the same time the armature 18 is rotated'to the. left and the stop signaleportion of the indicating drum is exposed. When the brake pedalisi released' the circuits are again broken and the armature 18 falls to its biasedposition, bringing the red tail light portion of thedrum into view. Thebell magnet is connectedin multiple in the circuit shown, all of the magnet coils being connected to ground, which is the plate 5.

To manually control the magnet circuits, a manual circuit controller or switch is provided, which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. This may be arranged in any convenient place, as on the steering Wheel, and comprises a plate 37 with a plurality of electrical contacts on it, and a pivoted contact lever 38 which is controlled by a fiat. spring 39 which is disposed against the end of the contact lever 38 and tends to holdit in oill position, as shown in the drawings.

The battery is connected to the pivot screw 40 of the contact lever 38, and at the left of the normal position of the lever is a left magnet contact 41 and a bell contact 42, while to the right is a right magnet contact 43 and a bell contact 44. In order to assist the right magnet 22 to elevate the armature, a stop magnet contact 45 is provided just in advance of the right magnet contact 43, so that the stop magnet is energized momentarily as the contact lever 38 'is being rotated to the right to energize the right magnet, and the armature is first drawn up to the stop magnet and then its circuit is broken and that of the right magnet made and the right magnet then completes the rotation of the armature and drum to the right turn indication.

To enable the operator to give the stop indication Without applying the brakes, a manually controlled switch 46, shown as a push button, is provided on the circuit controller, which also controls a stop magnet contact 48 and a bell contact 49. Also to enable the operator to cut out the bell, as would be desirable for instance when standing for a long time on a grade with the brakes applied. a cut out is provided on the circuit controller consisting of a movable contact member 50 and a coperating stationary contact 51, the former being connected to the battery and the latter to all of f the megnets, so that it operates as a complete cut out for the system.

Thev wires all enter the casing 1 througha bushing 52 in :the bottom of the casing.. The circuits will be easily understood from the diagram in Fig. 3. In the position shown,` all of the magnets are denergized. If the lever 38 be moved to the left until it makes contact with the contacts 41 and 42, the left magnet 21 is energized through the'following circuitf; from the left' pole of battery 27 throughwire 53, ground 5', left magnet 21, wire 54, contact 41,' lever 38,' wires 55 and 5 6, stationary contact 51, movable contact 50 and wire 57 back to the battery. At the same time the bell magnets 26 are energized through the following circuit-z from battery through wire 27, ground 5, magnets 26, wires 58 and 59, contact 42,.contact lever 38, wires and 56, contacts 51 and 50, andwire 57 back to battery.

If the lever 38 be moved to the rightythe contact 45 is first engaged and the stop magnet is energized through the following circuit: from battery through wire 53, ground 5, magnet 20, wires 60 and 61, contact 45, contact lever 38 and from thence to battery as before. halfway up to the right turn position as previously explained.` The further movement of the contact lever 38 breaks the contact with the stationary contact 45, and immediately makes contact with thecontacts 43 and 44, thereby energizing they bell magnets through the same circuit as previously described, except that wire 62 and contact 44 are substituted for wire 59 and contact 42, and thereby energizing the right magnet through the followingcircuit: from battery through wire 53, ground 5, magnet 22, Wire 63, contact 43, contact lever 38 and from thence to battery.

When the piston contact 33 is operated by depressing the brake pedal 34, the stop magnet is energized through the circuit previously traced except that the connection between the Wire 60 and the contact 51 is the contact 31, contact member 33, contact 30 and wire 64, arranged in multiple with the connection previously traced. Another circuit of the stop magnet leads through the manually controlled switch 46 which is arranged in multiple with the pedal controlled switch, the connection between the wire 60 and the contact 51 being the wire 65, stationary contact 48, movable Contact 46 and the wire 5G. A. multipleconnection for the bell magnets also leads to both the pedal and manually operated switches. a branch wire 66 leading ofi' from the bell magnet wire 58 to the bellcontact 32 controlled by the piston contact 33, and the contact 49 on the wire 58 coperating with the switch contact member 46. Thus the operator may easily and conveniently operate the signal device to give any desired indication, and may operate it to give the stop indication either The armature 18 is then raised by the operation of applying the brakes or manually without applying the brakes. Each operation is accompanied by the sounding of the bell 23; and if it is desired to cut out the bell when the brakes are being held on for a long time, it is only necessary to press the button 50 and thereby break all of the magnet circuits.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described, within the principle and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising a casing having a slot therein, an indicating drum rotatively mounted in the casing with a portion of its periphery exposed through the slot, an armature mounted upon the axis of the drum and rotatable therewith and having a bias to one position, and two controlling electro-magnets arranged in an arc about the axis at different angular distances from the biased position of the armature, each being adapted when energized to attract androtate the armature in the same direction and hold the drum in the respective indicating position, an electric circuit and a source of current therein for energizing the magnets, and a manually controlled switch in the circuit adapted by a continuous movement to connect first the n'earer magnet into the circuit 4and then break that connection and connect the other magnet into the circuit.

2. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising a casing having a slot therein, an indicating drum rotatively mounted in the casing with a ortion of its periphery exposed through tiie slot, an armature mounted upon the axis of the drum and rotatable therewith and having a bias to one position, two controlling electro-magnets arranged in an arc about the axis at different angular distances from the biased position of the armature, each being adapted when energized to attract the armature and rotate it in the same direction and hold the drum in the respective indicating position, and an electric circuit and a source of current therein for energizing the magnets, the circuit including two stationary contacts, one contact for each magnet and a movable switch member adapted by a continuous movement first to engage the contact for the nearer magnet and then to break that contact and then to engage the contact for the other magnet, wherebv the armature is successively attracted by the two magnets.

3. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising a rotative indicating drum,

a rotative armature connected to rotate the Y drum and having a bias to lowermost position, a lurality of three electro-magnets arrange one at the left and one at the right and on'eabove the axis of the armature and each adapted when energized to attract the armature and cause it to rotate, an electric circuit and a source of current therein for energizing the magnets, and a manually controlled switch in the circuit arranged to independently connect the several magnets into the circuit.

4. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising a rotative indicating drum, a rotative armature connected to rotate the drum and having a bias to lowermost position, a plurality ofthree electro-magnets a1"- ranged one at the left and one at the right and one above the axis'of the armature and `each adapted when energized to attract the armature and cause it to rotate', an electric c1rcu1t and a source of current therein for energizing the magnets, and a manually controlled switch in the circuit arranged when moved in one direction to successively connect one of the two lower magnets into the circuit and then break that connection and connect the upper magnet into the circuit, and when moved in the opposite direction to connect the other lower magnet into the circuit.

5. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising, in combination with the brake pedal, a rotative indicating drum, a rotative armature connected to rotate the drum and having a bias to lowermost position, a plurality of three electro-magnets arranged one at the left and one at the right and one above the axis of the armature and each adapted when energized to attract the armature and cause it to rotate, an electric circuit and a source of current therein for energizing the magnets, a manually controlled switch in the circuit arranged when moved in one direction to successively connect one of the two lower magnets into the circuit and then break that connection and connect the upper magnet into the circuit, and when moved in the opposite direction to connect the other lower magnet into the circuit, a normally open pedal switch connected in multiple in the circuit of the first mentioned lower magnet and controlled by the brake pedal and arranged to be closed as the pedal 1s operated to apply the brakes, and a normally open manually controlled switch connected in multiple with the pedal controlled switch.

6. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising a rotative indicating drum, a rotative armature connected to rotate the drum and having a bias to lowermost position, a lurality of three electro-magnets arrange one at the left and one at the right and one above the axis of the armature and each adapted when energized to attract the armature and cause it to rotate, au electric circuit and a source of current therein for energizing the magnets, a manually controlled switch in the circuit arranged when moved in one direction to successively connect one of the two lower magnets into the circuit and t-hen break that connection and connect the upper magnet into the circuit, and when moved in the opposite direction to connect the other lower magnet into the circuit, and an electrically controlled audible alarm arranged to be connected to the source of current with each electro-magnet.

7. A signal device for automobiles or the like comprising, in combination with acylindrical casing having an opening in the side and in the top thereof and a number plate disposed above the top opening, a source of light in the casing arranged to illuminate the number plate, a transparent rotative indicating drum in the casing surrounding the source of light and having about its periphery a normal running signal portion, a stop signal portion, a left turn signal portion and a right turn signal portion, the drum being arranged by its rotation to bring the successive signal portions opposite the side opening in the casing, a rotative armature carried by the drum and arranged to rotate coaxially therewith and having a bias to the position with the normal running signal portion of the drum eX- posed, an electro-magnet disposed at one side of the axis of the armature and arranged when energized to attract the armature and cause it to rotate and cxposethe stop signal portion of the drum, two other electro-magnets disposed, respectively, above and at the opposite side of the axis and each arranged when energized to attract the armature and cause it to' rotate and one to expose the left turn signal portion and the other the right turn signal portion of the drum, and means for independently energizing the respective electro-magnets.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signatuie in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL T. VARNER. Witnesses:

HARRY C. LEWIS, EARL REARDON. 

